County official accused of taking $65 mln in bribery

A county official in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region is accused of accepting bribes of more than 40 million yuan ($6.5 million), local prosecution said on Wednesday.

The trial of Fang Ren, former Party secretary of Helan County, lasted two days, the prosecutors said.

The prosecutors presented evidence alleging Fang took 177 bribes during 2005 and 2013, trading bribes for favors in project bidding, land transfer, fund allocation, etc.

The court also heard Fang's defense lawyers' presentations. No verdict has been delivered yet.

Fang was placed under Party discipline watch in 2013 and charged with taking bribes in July 2014.